Mobile World Congress is the best place to discover new mobile phones, especially those that stand out with their unique features or components. And there was one that caught my attention, precisely because it was unique: the Air2 Ultra is a rugged or ultra-resistant smartphone. it doesn’t look like it because of its size. In fact, the manufacturer claims that it is the mobile phone of this type with the thinnest thickness.
No, the extreme resistance is one of the aspects that affects the time of renovation of my mobile, I do not prefer the phone to be used, I do not generate agujetas after use and, although this is important, I enjoy being able to leave it in the pocket. So-called rugged cell phones do not precisely respect these premises, but the one in which they become strong: they endure what they throw at them. I have tried several and I know they are not for me. Until I came across the Air2 Ultra from IIIF150.
Robust and only 8.5 mm thick
The Air2 Ultra (left) versus the Google Pixel 8 Pro (right)
I’ve seen rugged cell phones the thickness of a brick, but never one that really passed for a regular smartphone. And the Air2 Ultra is just that: It doesn’t seem like it’s built to withstand any mishap.. In fact, it’s certified to withstand drops of 1.8 meters and to last more than a day at a depth of six meters. All in an 8.5mm thick mobile phone. Of course, on the body, the camera lenses stand out (and they don’t really look pretty to me, but that’s another story).
Not only is it thin, but it is also quite light for what can be considered an ultra-durable cell phone: it weighs 230 grams. The frames are made of carbon fiber, the screen is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Armor (the same as that of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, although thicker), it can operate between -20 and 70º C and has military certification, IP68 and IP69k. Almost indestructible.
Yes, it is thin and not very heavy. But does it happen, as with other rugged mobile phones, that the hardware is closer to the low end than the average? Well, this aspect doubled my surprise: the Air2 Ultra includes a 6.8-inch AMOLED panel with FHD+ resolution, dual rear camera with 108 megapixel main sensor and another 64 megapixel infrared, MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor, Android 14 as operating system version and even wireless charging for its 5,000 mAh battery. This isn’t exactly a common feature on ultra-rugged cell phones, to be honest.
I’m glad that manufacturers of heavy-duty products are able to maintain extremely high strength by including hardware that It’s fun to use it for more than just basic use.. In fact, it could pass as a more than decent mid-range due to its basic features. And without having to worry about the phone breaking if it falls to the ground, that convinced me.
Cover image | Ivan Linares
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